U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome leaders from five African countries to Washington next week for talks aimed at strengthening commercial partnerships.
Also Read
The leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal are scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on July 9 for discussions and a working lunch, a White House official confirmed.
“President Trump believes African nations present tremendous commercial opportunities that can benefit both Americans and our African partners,” the official stated.
Reports from Africa Intelligence and Semafor earlier indicated the summit will run from July 9 to 11.
This engagement comes amid a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration, which has slashed significant portions of foreign aid to African nations. The administration argues that such spending is misaligned with its “America First” policy and instead promotes a new model emphasizing trade and investment.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this shift, stating the U.S. would move away from a charity-based aid model. He emphasized prioritizing support for countries that demonstrate both the “ability and willingness to help themselves.”
Echoing this approach, U.S. diplomats across Africa will now be evaluated based on commercial agreements achieved. Senior African Affairs official Troy Fitrel described this as the new foundation for U.S. engagement on the continent.
